The police and the navy involved in the rescue operation said another 29 children were rescued after the incident off Dahanu, a town in Maharashtra state. All the students on the boat have been accounted for, said police officer V.J. Sankha.

Earlier, the Press Trust of India news agency said that 32 children have been rescued during search operations using a plane, helicopters and some ships. It also said the schoolchildren were on a picnic when the accident occurred.

Police officer U.J. Sankha said the rescue operation had been completed with the recovery of the boat that capsized in the sea.

Moshudi Pervez Sheikh, a 17-year-old girl who survived, said the boat tilted and sank as the schoolchildren moved to one side to take selfies using smartphones.

Such accidents are common in India, where many ferry boats are poorly built and often overcrowded, and there is little regard for safety regulations such as providing lifejackets.